No immediate impeachment of Mush: Fahim

Islamabad, Feb 24: The new government in Pakistan may not seek immediate impeachment of President Pervez Musharraf, Pakistan People's Party leader and frontrunner to the post of prime minister Makhdoom Amin Fahim has said. Mr Fahim, whose PPP had emerged as the single largest party in the February 18 elections, said the party did not wish to ''rock the boat'' at this stage.

The party of assassinated former prime minister Benazir Bhutto had a power sharing deal with PML-N-- which came second in the election results-- of another former premier Nawaz Sharif. The two parties are set to form a coalition government. After the victory of the two bitter opponents the beleagured former military ruler apprehensions were being raised that the new government would impeach the President, who re-election to the post was called ''unconstitutional'' by his detractors. ''I think there's no need at the moment but parliament is sovereign. Once we go to parliament, it will look at every issue.

We should not rock the boat at this time. We must have civil transition of power from the military to the civilians,'' the Bhutto loyalist told CNN.

The envoys, including from the US and UK, have pressed the PPP and the PML-N to try to co-exist with Musharraf for some time ''to ensure a smooth transition and stability in the country,'' The News quoted sources as saying.

Though both PPP Co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari and PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif have said the vote was against Musharraf, the PPP was reluctant to make immediate moves for his impeachment.

US Ambassador Anne Patterson has met Mr Zardari at least twice since the polls. British High Commissioner Robert Brinkley has also met leaders of the PPP and the PML-N, including Nawaz Sharif.

The US has indicated that it would continue working with President Musharraf despite the rout of his PML-Q in the polls.